I may be a fan of ABC’s Life of Mars but I’m not really disappointed to hear that it’s been canceled, mostly due to the news that ABC is letting the series reach an ending.

I’ve been watching the ratings and cancellation isn’t a surprise. I was more upset that I might not find out the “different” resolution the US producers had in mind, but now that I’m getting an answer to what this Sam Tyler is doing in 1973, I’m happy to have enjoyed the show as it was.

While I thought the UK Life on Mars worked in a lot of ways, the show really clicked once it reached its ending. Once you knew why the UK Sam Tyler was stuck in the 70s, it gave a powerful context to every episode before, giving it a tragic edge.

So far, I think the ABC Life on Mars has shown a good understanding of its predecessor, including the various dynamics at work (IMO, it’s a show that tries to explore where society was in the 70s, which includes the way we looked at law enforcement in pop culture, an awkward balance) so I’ve got my hopes that the US version’s “different” ending will similarly add a new context to the show. As it is, the UK ending has enhanced my enjoyment of the US series quite a bit and I’m hopeful that they can top that feat.

But I hope the ABC finale doesn’t include that Israel Kamakawiwo’ole version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” because I don’t need to complete dry out my tear ducts.